A Time Like This
by GemmaGemini98
Summary: When Percy met Audrey, he was alone and she needed saving - but he refuses to let the dementors take the credit.


It all starts with the dementors - well, if you want to follow each cause and event back to the root, it's Voldemort's fault, really. Percy is heading down to his office, trying to squash the intense feelings of guilt after running into his father in a lift when he hears the scream. His wand is in his pocket (he makes sure that he is always completely certain of it's location, now - it wouldn't do to take any risks at a time like this) but what if the scream is because of a Death Eater?

_Pull yourself together, Weasley. You were Head Boy; you're the junior undersecretary to the Minister for Magic!_

With that thought, Percy strides forwards. He puts the papers into yet another robe pocket (undetectable extension charms are simply _marvelous_) and pulls out his wand, gripping the familiar wood tightly. Another scream makes him speed up and that's when he realises (with the most despair that he has ever felt) that maybe he should have practiced his Patronus a lot more.

There are three of them surrounding someone, the cause of the scream. Percy swallows and pushes his glasses up his nose. The person sobs loudly and one of the dementors starts pushing back its hood-

"Expecto patronum!" Percy roars, thinking of all the Hogwarts letters he has received over the years. His first letter was the best, he decides, because it led to all the others. Although his fifth and seventh ones had been indescribable, too...

A silvery owl that he hasn't seen in a while shoots out of his wand and Percy allows himself to breathe a sigh of relief. The owl - Percy's owl - pushes the dementors back and away from their would-be victim, who is now lying prone on the floor. The beasts eventually flee the narrow corridor. Percy stoops down to the girl. She's unconscious, he realises with a horrified jolt. He quickly casts a disillusionment spell on them both and picks them up.

He will take her to his flat, he decides. He can't just leave her there. Not at a time like this, anyway.

Percy takes the day off, in the end. He successfully convinces Thicknesse that he is _quite _ill, unfortunately, and isn't it just terrible that he forgot his pepperup potion on the day of the break in? (Ron was part of that, he's sure. Part of him is proud of his little brother but part of him is terrified. Of what, Percy doesn't know.)

The girl is still unconscious hours later. It's worrying, but Percy isn't quite sure what he can do - she doesn't have a wand on her so he doesn't want to take her to St. Mungo's, just in case she's muggleborn. No, that would do more harm than good.

Percy laid her on his sofa. His bed might be more comfortable but he doesn't know the girl and doesn't know how badly she might react to waking up in a strange man's bed. He does recognise her vaguely, though. Maybe she was in Fred and George's year in Hogwarts? He can't picture her as any of the Gryffindor girls in that year and it's not as if he can just get in contact with them to ask now. They could be in hiding for all he knows and, anyway, they hate him now.

She stirs, occasionally. A muttered word here, a jolted hand there. Percy almost jumps out of his skin because he's got so used to being alone in this poky old flat and now he's got this strange girl laying on his sofa and what if someone finds out and they get taken to Azkaban? What if they're killed?

_But what if you're brave for the first time and put her needs before your own?_

For some reason, the nagging voice in his head reminds him of Ginny.

Percy pushes his shoulders back and raises his chin. He feels defiant. He feels _strong_.

She feels too cold, he realises when he presses his hand lightly against her forehead. Of course. Dementors. The only cure Percy can think of is chocolate - and he has a measly little bar waiting on the counter for when she wakes up - but that can only work if she's conscious.

_Think!_

There has to be something he's forgotten. A charm, a herb, _anything_. Maybe he was too late and the dementor got a bit of her soul - no. That wouldn't affect her like this. She'd be an empty shell; dead to the world.

Percy thinks he might cry with happiness when she finally opens her eyes. He doesn't, although he does allow himself to breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

"Hello," he says. He's not sure what else he _can _say. The word cuts into the silence of the room and the girl slowly turns to look at Percy. She raises a trembling hand to brush a dark strand of hair out of her face and opens her mouth to say something but is cut off by Percy thrusting the chocolate at her. "Eat it. It'll help."

The girl - Percy should really find out what her name is, he can't keep calling her 'the girl' forever - takes the bar and unwraps it. He watches her eat it and smiles when he sees the colour return to her face.

"I'm Percy," he tells her when she's finished.

"I know."

He waits a second but she doesn't say anything else. The girl is now sitting up on the sofa with her arms wrapped around her legs. She looks like she's trying to physically hold herself together and Percy wishes he could think of something, anything to say but he's never been good in this sort of situation.

Eventually, after what feels like hours of just staring at her, she smiles. It doesn't reach her eyes and to Percy it looks almost... resigned. "I suppose you're going to hand me over to them tomorrow, aren't you?"

He feels his eyes widen in shock. "No!"

She looks confused now. "I thought you worked for the Ministry-"

"I do," Percy interrupts and then flushes scarlet. She crumples up at his words, hiding her face in her knees. "No, you don't understand - I _do _work there but I'm not going to hand you over. I - I couldn't do that. It's not - I mean - they would send you to _Azkaban_. I'm not letting that happen."

"Why?" She raises her gaze to meet his, blue eyes locked in brown. Her voice turns bitter but Percy can't look away. "After all, I'm just a _mudblood_. That's where your Ministry has decided I have to go."

"Don't say that."

"Why am I here?"

"Because I brought you here. I wasn't about to leave you to the dementors." He doesn't say _or the Death Eaters_ but they both think it.

"Thank you. No, really - I should have said it when I first woke up. Please don't say it was nothing or whatever Gryffindors think when they're risking their lives for a stranger." The girl smiles at him and this time it seems real. It's real enough for Percy, at any rate, and he allows his lips to curve into his first true smile in what must be months.

"You're welcome," he says and then stops. "Sorry, this is a bit awkward but... Erm, what's your name?"

"Oh!" The girl shakes her head. "Sorry. I forgot that you probably wouldn't know who I was. I'm Audrey Wayland. It's a pleasure to meet you properly, Percy Weasley."


End file.
